Victory improved the Mexicans’ win- loss ratio to 1-2 to finish third in the pool and advance to the second round where they will play in Pool H in Milan alongside the winner of Pool B and the second-placed team in Pool F. Venezuela finished 0-3 to exit the competition.

FIVB Men's World Championship 2010 official pageMexico opened the scoring through Guerra but Venezuela replied quickly through the spikes of opposite Carlos Contreras to lead 3-2. Mexico responded positively with Rangel combining especially well with his backline attackers and the setter led his team to an 8-6 lead at the first technical timeout (TTO). The Mexican centres, particularly Samuel Cordova, did a fine job controlling the net as Mexico increased their lead to 16-12 at the second TTO, eventually holding on to win the opening set by three points.

At the start of the second set some aces from Guerra helped Mexico into a 5-2 lead, and it was 8-5 at the first TTO thanks to some Venezuelan errors. But Venezuela then changed their strategy, with setter Jose Carrasco switching between fast attacks through the centres and side attacks through their captain Luis Arias and they took a 13-11 lead. However the Contreras-Rangel axis then asserted itself to put Mexico 16-13 ahead at the second TTO and they then ran out 25-20 winners to take a 2-0 lead in sets.

A successful block at the outset prompted Mexico to continue using Guerra and Contreras as their main attacking ploy in the third set until they reached 8-5 at the first TTO. Mexico’s determination to finish things there and then was exemplified by Jesus Rangel and Contreras, while Venezuela committed more and more mistakes in defence and on service, allowing Mexico to wrap it up in straight sets.